First published online June 14, 2004
Development 131, 1301e (2004)
© The Company of Biologists Limited
CDK8 flower power
Plant organs form post-embryonically from the meristems, structures in
which cell division and cell specification are closely integrated. In the
floral meristem, three classes of homeotic genes interact to specify sepals,
petals, stamens and carpels. On
p. 3147, Wang and
Chen report that HUA ENHANCER3 (HEN3) acts in the pathway of
AGAMOUS, an Arabidopsis homeotic gene required for stamen
and carpel specification. By analysing hen3 mutants, the researchers
found that HEN3, which was isolated as an enhancer of the hua1
hua2 double mutant phenotype, is required for cell-fate specification in
floral meristems and cell expansion in leaves. They also show that HEN3 is the
homologue of mammalian cyclin-dependent protein kinase 8 (CDK8), which is
known to be required for cell differentiation in yeast and
Dictyostelium. However, this is the first demonstration that CDK8 has
a developmental function in a higher eukaryote.
Related articles in Development:
- HUA ENHANCER3 reveals a role for a cyclin-dependent protein kinase in the specification of floral organ identity in Arabidopsis
- Wenming Wang and Xuemei Chen
Development 2004 131: 3147-3156.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
